Tandem Industry Academia Connect (TIA Connect)

Tandem Industry Academia Connect (TIA Connect)

Tandem Industry Academia Connect (TIA Connect) is a new networking programme by the Finnish Research Impact Foundation that brings together researchers in the human sciences and companies. The aim of the programme is to build mutual understanding between researchers and companies and to lay the groundwork for research collaboration.

Who is it for?

The TIA Connect programme is intended for researchers in the human sciences who are interested in building research collaboration with companies. The human sciences include the humanities, social sciences, business, arts research, psychology, law, and education. Eligible applicants include researchers interested in postdoctoral funding and individuals in the role of research director. The above can also submit a joint application. Detailed eligibility criteria will be published in the call guidelines.

Why join?

TIA Connect offers researchers the opportunity to get to know companies interested in the human sciences, gain insight into challenges relevant to companies, and develop research ideas from the perspective of collaboration. The selected participants will take part in two facilitated workshops where researchers and companies will meet and explore opportunities for collaboration. If a company and a researcher find mutual interest in developing a joint project, they can submit an application to the Tandem Industry Academia Postdoc programme in spring 2026. The foundation will support applicants in preparing their application. Read more about the foundation’s post doc funding.

Participating companies

Seven Finnish companies are participating in the programme. These companies have a strong interest in research in the human sciences and a genuine need to collaborate with researchers in the field. Each company has proposed a challenge that is significant from their perspective and would benefit from the insights and expertise of human sciences research. The participating companies are: F-Secure, Gugguu, Heino Group, Mirka, OP, Porokylän Leipomo, and Valio.

How to apply to the TIA Connect programme?

Researchers are asked to submit a short idea paper describing how they would approach a challenge relevant to one of the participating companies from a research perspective. The companies’ challenges and instructions for preparing the idea paper will be provided in the call guidelines.

Researchers are free to choose their own research perspective on the company challenge. The goal is not to answer all the questions listed in the challenge description, but to propose a research idea based on the researcher’s own strengths and expertise.

The call guidelines and company challenge descriptions will be published on the Finnish Research Impact Foundation’s website on 11 August 2025.

Further information about the programme:
Outi Vanharanta
outi.vanharanta@vaikuttavuussaatio.fi
+358 50 596 2597